VonMuller
2017-05-21, 01:32 AM
Problem:
I've been running a Vampire:The Masquerade (20th Anniversary Edition) chronicle for 38 sessions now. For most of the campaign there have been an average of three players. Two of those players have always been the same and have >95% attendance to the chronicle.
Over the past seven sessions, some new players joined, replacing others that were less committed. These two new -yet mechanically experienced- players are really committed but are also struggling to get the spotlight when compared with the other players.
It's not either group of players fault, none of the "old guard" are Divas, they just got accustomed to playing a highly political game and their plots are quite keen and sly.
The new players are not shy, but come from absolutely terrible Narrators that never got past three or four sessions per chronicle and that play Vampire: The Massacre instead of Vampire: The Masquerade.
They enjoy the political games, the backstabbing, and the social challenges. I asked them if my narrating style is what they wanted and they love it (at least, in comparison to their previous experiences, so the bar is low)
I feel that over the last couple of sessions they started to feel like sidekicks, but are too shy to tell me because they enjoy my gamemastering a lot more than what they are used to.
How can I encourage them to shine and feel like protagonists? The other players are not mean, nor divas.
I even proposed that for the next sessions the old players played as their childes (new PCs), so they are mechanically balanced, and the old players agreed, playing with 0xp PCs and yet overpowering them with sociopolitical acumen in just five sessions.
Now, it's not a lack of intelligence from the players either, it's only the old ones have 30 sessions of vampire favour-mongering and politicking in their backpack.
I need help!
I've been running a Vampire:The Masquerade (20th Anniversary Edition) chronicle for 38 sessions now. For most of the campaign there have been an average of three players. Two of those players have always been the same and have >95% attendance to the chronicle.
Over the past seven sessions, some new players joined, replacing others that were less committed. These two new -yet mechanically experienced- players are really committed but are also struggling to get the spotlight when compared with the other players.
It's not either group of players fault, none of the "old guard" are Divas, they just got accustomed to playing a highly political game and their plots are quite keen and sly.
The new players are not shy, but come from absolutely terrible Narrators that never got past three or four sessions per chronicle and that play Vampire: The Massacre instead of Vampire: The Masquerade.
They enjoy the political games, the backstabbing, and the social challenges. I asked them if my narrating style is what they wanted and they love it (at least, in comparison to their previous experiences, so the bar is low)
I feel that over the last couple of sessions they started to feel like sidekicks, but are too shy to tell me because they enjoy my gamemastering a lot more than what they are used to.
How can I encourage them to shine and feel like protagonists? The other players are not mean, nor divas.
I even proposed that for the next sessions the old players played as their childes (new PCs), so they are mechanically balanced, and the old players agreed, playing with 0xp PCs and yet overpowering them with sociopolitical acumen in just five sessions.
Now, it's not a lack of intelligence from the players either, it's only the old ones have 30 sessions of vampire favour-mongering and politicking in their backpack.
I need help!